Tragedy struck the northern Ukrainian city of Chernihiv as a Russian missile slammed into a theatre on Saturday morning, resulting in the deaths of seven individuals, including a six-year-old girl.
Authorities have reported that 144 people, including 15 children, sustained injuries in the devastating incident, with at least 25 being treated in local hospitals.
The missile attack also inflicted damage upon a main square and a university building in the city. Among the victims were individuals who had gathered to celebrate an Orthodox Christian holiday at a church nearby.
The United Nations swiftly condemned the attack, characterizing it as “heinous.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky vehemently vowed a strong response from his nation’s armed forces in the face of what he labeled a “terrorist attack.”
Also Read: Russian Missile Strike Kills Five And Injures Dozens In Northern Ukrainian City
Situated approximately 50 km (31 miles) south of Ukraine’s border with Belarus, Chernihiv bore the brunt of Russia’s military actions in the initial stages of President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion launched in February 2022.
The city’s theatre bore the direct impact of the missile, leading to tiles being blown off neighboring structures and a subsequent fire breaking out 100 meters away. The theatre was hosting an event for drone manufacturers at the time of the attack.
Oleksandr Lomako, the acting mayor of Chernihiv, expressed his belief that the missile’s target was the military event within the theatre. However, he pointed out that the timing of the attack indicated a callous disregard for civilian lives, branding it a “war crime against civilians” and underscoring it as another instance of Russian aggression.
Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko reported that individuals inside the theatre managed to take cover in time, though most of the victims were either in vehicles or crossing the road when the missile struck. They were reportedly returning from a church.
Chernihiv’s city center is a bustling area for pedestrians, particularly during weekends. The attack left locals in shock, as they recounted the harrowing aftermath.
President Zelensky conveyed his condolences, revealing that the young victim’s name was Sofia. The Ukrainian leader decried the loss and declared the ordinary Saturday had been turned into “a day of pain and loss.”
The UN joined in the chorus of condemnation, denouncing the attack as “extremely disturbing” and emphasizing the prohibition of attacks on civilians or civilian structures under international humanitarian law.
With three days of mourning declared in Chernihiv, Moscow has not yet issued a statement regarding the missile strike. In a separate incident, Russia claimed that a Ukrainian drone attacked a military airfield in the Novgorod region, causing a fire that was swiftly extinguished. No casualties were reported, while Ukraine has yet to respond to these allegations.
In the midst of these developments, Kyiv’s air force asserted that Ukrainian military forces had successfully downed 15 out of 17 Iranian-made Shahed drones deployed by Russia during an overnight offensive.
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